Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Two policemen and a cameraperson of state-run Doordarshan were killed in a Naxal attack today in Dantewada district this morning. The crew members were in the region for assembly election coverage. Two police personnel were also injured in the incident, which took place in Nilawaya village under the Aranpur police station. "Those killed were identified as Sub Inspector Rudra Pratap, Assistant Constable Mangalu and DD News cameraman Achyutanand from Delhi," Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI. Two other security personnel were injured in the incident, he said, adding that reinforcements were rushed to the spot. The attack comes three days after four personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and two injured after Naxals blew up a bullet-proof bunker (BPB) vehicle in Bijapur district. The state accounting 90 assembly seats goes to polls in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11.
Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad, who is campaigning in the state, claimed on Monday that the NDA government had successfully managed to bring the district affected by naxalism from 150 to around 75-80 now.Incidentally, Prasad's public meeting in Dantewada in poll-bound Chhattisgarh was cancelled due to security reasons, reported PTI. In a naxal attack in Palnar village in Dantewada district Sunday evening, a BJP panchayat member Nandal Mudiyami was seriously injured.
Naxals had recently put up posters in parts of Bastar calling for boycott of the assembly elections. The first phase of the election will cover 18 constituencies in eight Maoist-affected districts. On March 13 this year, nine CRPF jawans lost their lives when Naxals blew up a mine-protected-vehicle in Sukma district.
This is a developing story. More details are awaited.
